ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ

After 22 years with the same logo, ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ was ready for a fresh new look – one that would help shape the future of our brand. 

In the fall of 2024, our Marketing and Communications department received the green light to begin the research phase, kicking off a transformative journey that ultimately led to our new visual identity. We issued a call for proposals and selected an Atlantic Canadian marketing firm, M5 Agency, along with their research arm MQO, to conduct a brand audit with both qualitative and quantitative research. In addition, L’nuey was commissioned to conduct independent research on the legacy of our college namesake, “Samuel Holland”.   

The response from our community was incredible. Over 600 people responded to our online survey, and our virtual focus groups provided even more insight on stakeholder perceptions, emotions and attitudes toward the ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ brand.  

The research confirmed what we suspected: the college’s reputation is strong, and brand equity is high in Atlantic Canada. However, our existing logo didn’t reflect that recognition. We needed a visual identity that matched the strength of our reputation.  

Our internal graphic designer, Lisa Stapleton, stepped up to lead the creative direction for the project.   

Leading by Design 

“When we reviewed all the research, it was shocking to hear how few people could picture the current ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ logo in their mind. But at the same time, they spoke with pride about our college and the impact that we have in the community. So, the challenge was really to design something that embodies that emotional connection and lives up to the reputation we earned,” said Lisa. 

She dove into the creative process with a plan to deliver an identity the college could be proud of. 

“At first, I had about 25 sketches of ideas and rough concepts. Every Friday, I would dig into the research and let that guide my designs. Some of the sketches reflected our historic connection to The Prince of Wales ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ, incorporating the plumes and coronet you see on that badge. Other designs were more abstract, inspired by the initials ‘HC’, symbols of our Island and national identity, and other visuals that represent our educational institution.” 

As the summer progressed, the creative process continued, and ten concepts were selected to be recreated digitally. 

“That was an exciting and chaotic phase of the process for me. Each week, the designs would morph, grow and change. Once you move from sketched artwork to digital designs, you really get a feel for how the design will look out in the world. I wanted to make sure that our logo translated to every platform and application, from screen printing on apparel and promotions on paper, to digital displays like the website and social channels. It needs to stand on its own.” 

Conversations with our Community 

Eventually, we narrowed our preliminary concepts down from five to three polished finalists. We were ready once more to hear from our community.  

One of the biggest challenges was finding a design that would resonate with diverse audiences. 

“As I was working, I was thinking about our students, and the relationships we have with our industry partners, but also our staff and faculty who have so much pride for what we do and who we are,” said Lisa.  

“I wanted to be thoughtful and deliberate in how I represented the college through a logo, drawing from our history and inspired by our brand promise. Each of the three logo options we tested was meaningful in a different way and reflected the strong reputation that ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ has built. I really tried to incorporate elements that aligned with what people said about our college”.  

The final step in the process was to return to our stakeholders for input on which of the three polished designs would shape the new image of our college. Our institutional planning analyst, Chris Palmer was asked to develop a process to seek stakeholder input on the design’s visual appeal, symbolism, reputation, adaptability and concept.  

Between March & April 2025, focus groups were conducted across PEI with current students, prospective students, staff, faculty and industry partners, giving us input from approximately 100 people. A report was finalized, and the results were calculated. The choice was clear — we had our new identity. 

The New ÄÚÉä´óÄÌ Logo 

The clean, modern icon within our new logo has four design elements. The letters H and C together form a shield, a symbol of strength, stability and protection. The cropped maple leaf reminds those outside the maritime provinces that we are a proud Canadian post-secondary institution. 

“People in our focus groups talked a lot about building their future through education,” said Lisa, “So I shaped the H and the C within the shield to look like building blocks. It represents growth, transformation and the college as a foundation to student success.” 

Our colour palette was updated to align with our sub-brands, using the vibrant red of The Culinary Institute of Canada and the rich maroon of our Hurricanes Athletics department. 

The new logo is part of a strong, unified visual identity that will represent the college and stand out as a beacon of pride and a promise of prosperity. The final design isn’t just a logo. It’s our identity, rooted in our legacy and designed for our future.